The Turning Tides (wait for no one)
by irrelevantlyimportant
Summary: Felicity Smoak is forced to take up new employment after the events of the season finale. There she meets her new boss the mysterious and charming Ray Palmer.
1. Chapter 1

Felicity sighed to herself. "Come on Felicity" she mumbled to herself, "get your head out of the clouds and back behind this desk."

It had been months since that night, or rather, _that _night. He had said he loved her. It had all been a ruse of course, a ruse she had been in on, but that hadn't stopped her brain from building castles in the air with the name plaque Mr. and Mrs. Queen hanging on the door.

She didn't deny that she had feelings for Oliver, but those three words had her heading to the nearest IKEA and decorating their dream house. What made the situation even scarier was that those words were fake and she knew they were fake. And yet there she was hoping, almost believing, they were all true.

She furiously typed away at her keyboard trying to bring the firewalls on their system up to her standards. There was a long way to go before the new lair's tech equipment was even close to the set up they had at the foundry. But unlike the last time around, she wasn't alone for 5 months, did not have the resources of Queen Consolidated behind her. So here she was with recently bought computers trying to best of a highly under equipped situation. And to make matters worse Oliver as was training behind her, shirtless as always. "Why is he always shirtless?", she thought to herself. "Not that I mind. In fact I prefer it that way. But its not good for my state of mind. God when even I don't talk I ramble."

An annoying beep dragged her attention away from the window she was working on to a window buried under many others. "Umm Oliver. I think there is something here that needs our attention."

Oliver walked over to her makeshift work space. "Whats up Felicity?" Oliver asked as he stood behind Felicity's chair to get a better look at her screen. " Robbery, assault, homicide? What does SCPD need help with tonight?". Her desk wasn't as large as the one she had in the foundry but she had managed to place two computers on it. That left little space for her papers and made always made her feel closed in. Now with Oliver standing right behind her, holding onto to the back of the chair, Felicity felt like the oxygen in the room was suddenly being sucked out forcefully.

"I hate to break this to you Oliver." Felicity said her fingers still flying across the keyboard. "But it isn't the SCPD that needs us. Its more like Starling National needing something from us. And by something, I mean little green pieces of paper with dead presidents on them."

Oliver brows furrowed. "Felicity, are you telling me we are broke?"

Felicity nodded slowly and swiveled her chair around. "We went through all the money we had left buying up the tech equipment and the training stuff. Not to mention we need to buy your arrows and machine to customize those arrows. I mean being a superhero by day is much easier when you are a billionaire by day. I don't think you understand the facts of life completely. " She grew hot as she realized how her brain had betrayed her yet again.

Oliver smiled, "Felicity, let me assure you that I am proficient in the facts of life. But right now I don't know what we can do about our immediate financial situation."

"Well", Felicity began haltingly partly because she didn't know how the idea in her head would be received and partly because he was standing so close , "I actually did have an idea. I could just get a job. An IT job not an executive assistant job because you know I kind of hated that job. Not that I hated working for you, I just didn't like being in that position." She slightly blushed at those last few words realizing the picture her verbal blustering had created. "But I have a couple of job interviews lined up this week and in case I get something then I would have a nice enough pay package to help out around here. "

Oliver couldn't believe what he had just heard, "Absolutely not Felicity! I cannot ask you to work in order to finance our crusade. I am getting some legal advice about getting the company back. And I only think it's a matter of time before I get Queen Consolidated back. And I still need my girl Wednesday. "

Felicity stood slowly. She was definitely not as tall as he was but she was afraid of standing toe to toe with him. "Oliver first of all, its girl Friday! Friday! I have said this to you before! Its Friday! And if I choose to get a job I don't need your permission. What I said before it was to let you know that I won't be here during the days if I get the job. And, wait" she held up her hand the second she realized Oliver was going to interrupt her rant. "And," she continued, "You didn't ask me to fund this crusade. But you said before we are partners. Its my responsibility also to make sure that we carry on as seamlessly as possible. I am going for those interviews Oliver. And with my resume and set of skills I will get those jobs. I will just have to take the job that I like the most and, the one that, pays quite a bit of money. Enough to pay my rent and help out around here."

Oliver sighed, there was no arguing with Felicity when she set her mind on something. "Alright. You are right. There is no reason that all of us should be unemployed. You are going to get all the jobs that interview for, of course. There isn't a company around that wouldn't benefit from having you as pat of their team" , his voice softened, "you are definitely the heart of ours. But you need to come back as soon as I get Queen consolidate back. I can't do much without my executive assistant now can I." With that, Oliver walked away to resume his training.

"Umm.. just to be clear if I get a job in the IT department somewhere else I will not be coming back to get you coffee and answer your phone calls no matter how powerful the computers at my desk are Oliver." Felicity yelled at his back.

She didn't see his secret small smile.


	2. Chapter 2

Felicity smoothened her skirt as she sat down on the large leather sofa. This was the latest in the long line of interviews she had attended since deciding to get back into the job market. She already had been offered several jobs on the spot but this is the place she wanted to be, that is after Queen Consolidated of course. If she were completely honest it wasn't Queen Consolidate that she felt loyal to, it was one particular Queen. She had been recruited even before she had graduated from MIT straight into the IT department of Queen Consolidated and in that meeting it seemed that she was the one who was interviewing rather the one being interviewed. But she didn't think this was going to echo that experience. She was after all interviewing at a company that dealt only in technological research and development, and was being interviewed by one of its VPs.

" ", the receptionist called out from behind her desk, " is ready to see you now."

"Thank you" Felicity said as rose and walked towards the door.

As she stepped into the spacious office she was immediately reminded of Oliver's office at the Queen Consolidated building. There were large windows that flooded sunlight into the space and afforded a breathtaking view of Starling City's skyscrapers. At the far end of the room there was a large desk. "But where is the man that is supposed to be interviewing me?" she thought as she looked around the room. She took a seat in one of the chairs near the desk and absent-mindedly began drumming her fingers rhythmically on the desk. She lifted an oddly shaped curio of the desk only to discover that its odd shape was due to three interlocking pieces, and by lifting one piece away the other two pieces scattered and fell onto the hard wood floor making clanging noises. "Nice Felicity" she thought to herself.

She quickly grabbed the pieces and put them together the way she found them, one of the perks of being a IT genius was that your spatial skills were always off the charts. She sat back down on her chair and just to make sure she wouldn't fidget she interlocked her fingers and placed them firmly on her lap. She was trying to sit as still as she possibly could when she gratefully heard the doorknob click indicating that her interview was finally about to begin.

" , I am sorry you were kept waiting." A warm voice filled the room. "That's okay . I was just admiring the…. You are not !" she exclaimed at the tall dark haired figure standing in front of her. Felicity Smoak was nothing if not prepared. She had already researched her interviewer and as befitting of her skill set she knew everything about the man including his shoe size (Thank you ). , according to the latest driver's license picture, resembled a middle aged, five feet eight inches tall Santa Claus and the man in front of her was neither Santa nor stout. He was tall (taller than Oliver, her mind volunteered) and probably in his early thirties. He looked familiar but Felicity's mind was still processing everything else going on around her and was refusing to catch up to this new piece of information.

" , like I was about to explain, I am not ." His voice held a hint of amusement, "I am Ray Palmer. It's a pleasure to meet you. Shall we get started?"

"You are Ray Palmer?" Felicity asked as if in a daze.

"Yes, I am." The hint of amusement in Ray's voice grew.

"You are Ray Palmer?" Felicity realized she was repeating herself so she added "_The _Ray Palmer? The famous scientist, tech guru, and all round genius?"

"Well I'm flattered by the genius bit, but yes that's me. Ray Palmer. But please call me Ray. And now if we are done examining my list of accomplishments, could we maybe talk about yours? I saw on your resume that you graduated from MIT and went on to work for Queen Consolidated in the IT department. But its your next career move that has me puzzled. You went from working in IT to being the former CEO, Oliver Queen's, personal assistant. Would you care to explain why?"

Felicity wasn't surprised she was asked that question. She'd been asked that same question in various different forms in all her interviews. The first time she was thrown off and had babbled her way out (or so she thought) but since then she had perfected a rehearsed answer. "Please , call me Felicity. And in reference to your question, I had helped out with various IT related issues during his mother's tenure as CEO. When it came time for him to take the reigns of the company, he thought it best to have someone he knew and trusted as his personal assistant to help him through what was a difficult transition." She tried her best to not make it sound like she had practiced this little speech but after repeating it so many times it was hard to sound spontaneous. But as she finished she saw a mischievous glint in 's eyes.

"That was a excellent answer, Felicity" he said still smiling. "A tad over rehearsed but still excellent. Now would you like to revise the answer or maybe add something else to it or just retract it all?" Felicity could seeing he was just teasing her but a part of her always wished that she could just tell people the real reason. "Oh yeah Felicity, that's a great idea," she thought to herself. "Just tell Ray Palmer or any other Tom, Dick or Harry that you need to be Oliver's assistant because he is the Arrow and goes around taking out bad guys in green leather pants. He does look good in those leather pants though. Those tight pants." She quickly schooled her mind to return to the interview at hand where Ray was still waiting for an answer. "No. No other reason. Jut everything I mentioned before." She said, praying that she had been more believable this time around.

Ray was still smiling at her, like he knew she was keeping a secret. But thankfully he let it go and moved on to the next series of questions. The interview went on for about half an hour and Felicity aced every question directed her way.

As they were winding down the interview Ray seemed suitably impressed but one final question remained. "Felicity, I think that's all I need to know. Is there anything you would like to know about us?"

Felicity was not surprised with this question. This was how interviews usually ended but her query today was very different from other interviews. "Ah, nothing about the company, no. But I am curious to know why is it that backed out of the interview? I mean I was told he would be the one I would be meeting with today."

Ray laughed. "Its such an open and honest laugh", Felicity thought to herself. She had been surrounded by so many who had been through so much she had forgotten how "civilians" laughed. Oliver rarely laughed. He rarely genuinely smiled. Diggle had his smirks but she hadn't heard his laughter in the Arrow cave for weeks. And Roy, well Roy was just a smart ass on the outside but he was still smarting from having lost Thea. And here was Ray. He probably knew nothing about crime fighting or the war that was going on unseen but under everyone's noses. His laugh was untainted by bitterness.

"Well Felicity," Ray's voice brought her back to the present. "Given your special skill set, I figured it would be better for you to be interviewed by someone, shall we say, more aware of your potential. And I also knew you would have gathered every spec of information out there about and while he is excellent at his job, I have a feeling you would have been interviewing him rather than the other way around. Am I right?"

"How do you know about… " Felicity's voice trailed off, stunned that Ray knew about her "skill set". That was not on her resume and if he found that out about her what else did he know, how much did he know. Fear slowly began to creep in.

"Oh that was the easy part Felicity. I have a friend that went to MIT. I asked him whether he knew about you and did he have some stories to tell. In fact.. " He never got a chance to finish as Felicity hastily remarked, "They were just that, stories. People got bored and made up tall tales. And of course no evidence." There had been no proof only because, even then, Felicity was good at clearing up her tracks. "And if there had been any evidence, there would have been formal complaints against me and furthermore.." She knew she was babbling but it was a gut reaction to the relief she felt

Ray held his hands up in surrender and laughed again. "Felicity, trust me. I was more impressed than anything else. In fact, I think that's all I need to know. Felicity Smoak, we would be happy to have you come work for us. Strike that. We would be honored to have you come work with us here. What do you say?" He stood up from his chair and held his hand out waiting for her reply. Felicity was speechless for a moment, a situation that she did not have to face very often. She stood as well and took his outstrectched hand in hers. "Thank you Ray. I would be honored to work with you."

"Excellent Felicity." Ray beamed, "I believe the pay and other details were mentioned when you got called up for the interview but if there is something you would like to negotiate let me know. And I look forward to working with you."


End file.
